Joe Saunders hopes to be the first ever Florida House representative in District 49. The newly drawn district covering east Orange County is up for grabs this election season and Saunders filed paperwork with the state this week to run as a Democrat.
“I think we need to keep strong, progressive voices in Tallahassee,” Saunders said. “As an activist I have for years been talking to the legislature about things that need to happen and what shouldn't happen. It's time to have people actually in the legislature to have that conversation.”
Saunders, 28, has never run for public office but has worked as Equality Florida's State Field Director since 2005, so he says he's very familiar with what needs to happen in politics.
“I've been advocating in Tallahassee even before I worked with Equality Florida,” Saunders said. “There are a number of issues coming out of Tallahassee that are way of base.”
Saunders has yet to officially announce a platform, since he just filed with the state, but said that he would focus on fighting the state's “war on women” and creating an equal and fair world for all families.
Saunders said the first hurtle will be to raise money, and then to win the August Primary before the November election.
